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ELECTRIC NOTES
MAY IS NATIONAL ELECTRICAL SAFETY MONTH
Protect Your Home and Family from Fires and Electrocution
Electrical problems in older homes account for nearly 55,000 fires every year. These blazes cause more than 500 deaths, injure more than 1,400 and rack up $1.4 billion in property damage.
The risk of such fires is significant since half of all homes in the United States were constructed and wired prior to 1973, according to the U.S. Census Bureau—before the advent of garage-door openers or home computers. Even more telling, one-third of U.S. homes were built before hair dryers or electric can openers were even invented!
Owners of older homes can upgrade their electrical systems with newer fire prevention technology, such as arc-fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs). These advanced circuit breakers detect dangerous conditions in a home’s wiring and cut off power before a fire starts.
Additionally, those living in older homes with children can install tamper-resistant receptacles. These devices look like normal electrical outlets, although they have a built-in shutter system that prevents children from inserting foreign objects into the slots. Use of tamper-resistant receptacles would prevent most of the 2,400 burns suffered by children each year.
Over the past three decades, ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) have saved thousands of lives and prevented many more injuries. A GFCI is a special type of outlet designed to trip before a deadly electrical shock can occur. GFCIs constantly monitor electricity flowing in a circuit. If the electricity flowing into the circuit differs by even a slight amount from the electricity returning, the GFCI will quickly shut off the current flowing through that circuit. The advantage of using GFCIs is that they can detect even small variations in the amount of leakage current—leakage too small to trip a fuse or circuit breaker.
A GFCI should be used in any area where water may come in contact with electrical products.
• Put a GFCI between your electric power source and your electric product.
• Test your GFCI monthly and after every major electrical storm.
• If you have a home without GFCIs, consult a qualified, licensed electrician about adding this important protection; purchase plug-in units or a portable GFCI to provide individual receptacle or load protection.
For more information on National Electrical Safety Month and safety tips, visit www.electrical-safety.org.
NEW TAX CREDITS FOR ENERGY-EFFICIENT HOME IMPROVEMENTS
Even though money is tight, this might be a good time to make some home improvements.
You could qualify for up to $1,500 in federal tax credits if you trade your old windows, furnace, roof or water heater for an energy-efficient model.
The tax credits are part of President Obama’s economic stimulus bill and are good for energy-efficient improvements you make in 2009 and 2010.
You could get a tax credit for 30 percent of the cost of the improvement, up to $1,500, on windows and doors, insulation, metal and asphalt roofs, heating and air-conditioning systems, non-solar water heaters (but not tankless or electric storage water heaters) and biomass stoves. For these items, the credit does not include installation.
Another 30 percent is available—with no upper limit through 2016—for geothermal heat pumps, solar panels, solar water heaters, small wind energy systems and fuel cells. For these items, the credit includes installation. But make sure you talk with your cooperative before having any supplemental energy devices installed.
Do some research before you buy any of these products to ensure they qualify for the tax credit. To claim your credit, you will need a manufacturer’s certification that the product qualifies. You usually can find that on the manufacturer’s website.
You can claim the tax credit by filling out IRS Tax Form 5695 (2009 version) when you file your 2009 taxes next year.
For more information about the energy-efficiency tax credit, visit www.energystar.gov. Click on “tax credits for energy efficiency.”
KEEP ELECTRICITY FROM GOING DOWN THE DRAIN
Water use and electricity go hand in hand. Heating water can account for 14 to 25 percent of the total energy consumed in a typical home. What’s more, systems used to clean public water supplies and deliver it to homes require large amounts of electricity. If your home receives water from a well or spring, the pump also draws power. So when we use water, hot or cold, we’re also using energy.
Techniques for reducing water use in your home are surprisingly simple. For one, you can significantly reduce hot water consumption by simply repairing leaks in fixtures—faucets and showerheads—or pipes. A leak of one drip per second can cost $1 per month.
You can also reduce water heating costs in a matter of seconds by lowering the thermostat setting on your water heater. For each 10 degrees of reduction in temperature, you can save between 3 percent and 5 percent in energy costs. Reducing the setting also slows mineral buildup and corrosion in your water heater and pipes.
Although some manufacturers set water heater thermostats at 140 degrees, most households usually only require them to be set at 120. However, if you have a dishwasher without a booster heater, you may require water temperature within a range of 130 to 140 degrees for optimum cleaning.
Adding insulation to your water heater can save 4 to 9 percent in costs. To determine whether you need to insulate your water heater, touch it. A tank that’s warm to the touch needs additional insulation.
Insulating your water heater tank is fairly simple and inexpensive and will pay for itself in about a year. You can find precut jackets or blankets available from around $10 to $20. Choose one with an insulating value of at least R-8. In addition, don’t set the thermostat above 130 degrees on an electric water heater with an insulating jacket or blanket—the wiring may overheat.
Installing insulation on gas- and oil-fired water heaters is more difficult. For these appliances, it’s best to have a qualified plumbing and heating contractor perform the work.
For more tips on decreasing water use in your home, including pipe and water heater insulation techniques, visit www.energysavers.gov.
SAFETY FIRST UNDER THE SUN
Sunshiny spring days are an invitation to head outdoors—sometimes for fun, sometimes for chores. Either way, your local electric cooperative offers these tips to keep you safe:
Products like tillers, lawnmowers, mulchers, hedge trimmers, leaf blowers and chainsaws can cut, burn and even blind when directions are not followed. Study each product’s manual for safe operation rules and always follow them.
Outdoor electrical appliances and power tools should always be:
• Plugged in and turned on only when in use.
• Stored indoors (with a few exceptions such as electric barbecue grills, which can be covered to remain outdoors) and away from water and excessive heat.
• Used only when all safety guards are in place. Sharp blades and rapidly moving parts can cut off a finger or a toe.
Outdoor electrical appliances and power tools should never be:
• Left unattended, even when you leave temporarily. If there is a key, remove it. Put the product where no curious child or unqualified adult can misuse it.
• Plugged in while the switch is in the “on” position or while being carried or moved.
• Carried by their cords.
• Used while wet or close to water.
• Used near sharp edges or in conditions that can damage the product, its cord or its plug. Loose and broken wires are both shock and fire hazards.
• Repaired by anyone who is not a licensed electrician, authorized by the manufacturer or trained to repair the particular product.
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